Variations in fastener design have been used to improve different characteristics and performance of fasteners depending on the intended use of the fastener. In general, a screw-type fastener includes a threaded shank with a pointed tip at one end thereof and a head at the other end. The head has a recess for accepting a driver tip.
Most types of screw fasteners are designed to be driven completely into a material, so that the head bottom or top is flush with a surface of the material. In wood screws having a conical head, the turning torque increases with both the depth of the screw in the wood and when the conical head begins to penetrate into the surface of the wood. This makes it difficult to completely drive the screw into the wood.